5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Writer to Watch!, July 19, 2009
This review is from: Starfire : The Mending, Book 1 (Paperback)
Stuart Vaughn Stockton is a writer to watch. I'm a sci-fi fan from way-back-when and I was intrigued when I heard about his book. I couldn't imagine how I'd relate to computer using dinosaurs, but it couldn't have been easier. Stockton's writing style transports the reader into the story. The characters were relatable without being stereotypical. The action and conflict kept me turning the computer pages!
Rathe, a Yanguch dinosaur warrior finds himself the protector of an artificial intelligence named Karey Or. In his attempt to keep her safe, he and his fellow warriors find themselves in a deadly race against his enemies, the Herians. There are many new terms and dozens of clans, but Stockton manages to pull it off without confusing the reader.
The world the author has created is rich and diverse, with enough detail to make me long to visit.
The ending was pure genius and the author managed to catch me by surprise while delivering a satisfying conclusion. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series!
Serious sci-fi fans needn't shy away from the term `Christian Science Fiction'. This book delivers in all ways to the larger sci-fi genre and is only enhanced by the underlying message of the story.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For those who love science fiction, fantasy, and epic tales of war, April 19, 2009
This review is from: Starfire : The Mending, Book 1 (Paperback)
Review by Jill Williamson
Rathe, a Yanguch dinosaur, happens upon a dying Jerkrenak in the Draskil Skereta Mines. He also discovers a maimed hatchling that the Jerkrenak had doubtlessly planned to kill. Rathe sees his chance to rise above his low rank. He takes a fang from the Jerkrenak's mouth, carries the hatchling to safety, and claims to have killed the beast.
His heroism gives him the opportunity to rise to a new level of rank in the imperial army, a rank no five-five level hatching has ever managed to meet. But Rathe remains haunted that he lied about saving the hatching, and about the Jerkrenak's dying words: "If yi follow through on the path that lies at yir feet, yi'll bring the fire of the stars down."
Rathe and his team fly out on a routine mission to transport an engineering team to a station where the communication system has gone down. They stumble into something much greater, however. Herian troops attack their camp and the engineers panic. When Rathe chases one of the engineers into the forest, he discovers an old science station. The engineer has stumbled into an old machine that somehow altered the creature to a being called Karey Or.
Karey Or believes that Rathe is her protector and that he must take her to a place where the Starfire can be engaged. Rathe's troop believes that Karey Or is the key to a great weapon. They set off to use that weapon to destroy their Herian enemy.
As they journey, Rathe is haunted by prophecies from his past and present that speak of a religion he does not believe in. He might be the one chosen to decide if the Starfire will be destroyed or used as a weapon against his enemies, but that doesn't mean he has to take into account old fables. Rathe will do what he feels is right and hope it's the right choice. Either way, it seems, an empire will be destroyed.
Starfire was a completely surprising story. I would have never thought I'd like a story about dinosaur people. But Rathe is a fun character to read about. He is practical and tough and easy to relate to. He prefers to make his own path in life and can't see how "some mixed-up, homicidal god could lay out a better track" for his life than he could himself.
Like Star Wars, Stuart Vaughn Stockton's dinosaur creatures are all new and unfamiliar, so it was fun to imagine such a world. Stockton also provides a marvelous chart in the front of the book that shows the shape and size of each species in relation to each other. It was extremely helpful. As I read, I kept flipping back to the front to compare the species as I got to know each character.
This is pretty much a guy book. It's about fighting and war and cool weapons and dinosaurs who bite each other's heads off--only if they really have to. Pretty awesome stuff, depending on your interests. There is no romance in this story, but Rathe is a softy at heart and carries the smaller engineer female around on his back so she won't have to walk. He's the kind of guy I'd want fighting for my world. All in all, this was an action-packed adventure. I highly recommend it for those who love science fiction, fantasy, and epic tales of war.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unique Treat, July 6, 2011
This review is from: Starfire : The Mending, Book 1 (Paperback)
Starfire is a unique sci-fi treat. It combines the ferocity and reality of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park with the knowledge and complexity of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings. What I enjoyed throughout this book was that you can soon relate to everything that is going on, despite the scale barrier. The best sci-fi that I have read has always found a way to bring the reader between the pages into the reality of the tale. This is most certainly how I felt when I read Starfire. This is a great book to lose yourself in during any season, if you enjoy futuristic fiction.
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